Salute to the Sun by Kris Parins

Kris Parins

Salute to the Sun

Watercolor

29 x 21 in (73.66 x 53.34 cm)

Sold

For a few days around the summer solstice, the sun hangs low over the lake opposite my studio windows. It shoots a brief but wonderful flash of brilliance through the trees as it reaches its most southerly sunset of the year. Every June, I marvel at the lighting effects on the surrounding forest and I attempt to communicate my sense of awe at this annual phenomenon. The technique of masking and pouring gives me a degree of control while creating the random textures of nature that this painting required. I built up this scene layer by layer, stamping and spattering with both masking fluid and paint. As the painting got closer to completion, I brushed in the darkest negative shapes, and lifted some of the highlights and softened edges with scrubber brushes.